By their tongues ye shall know them, but, By their fruits; and such professors may be soon known, by being perfectly at home with the world and its pursuits indeed they always appear more in their element in the world than in the church. These queens always prefer a ministry that is inoffensive, never exhibiting the rottenness of a mere profession, and never holding up the dirty tricks of hypocrites. A searching, faithful, honest man of God, is what their majesties cannot long bear, because it searches them through and through; the mirror of God's word is held so close to their face, and the sun shines so brilliantly, that they wink and blink like owls, and it is almost as bad as calling out their names from the pulpit. It is remarkable that most of these professors believe some great error: one I know is a tri-theist, another a human pre-existerian, a third so bigotted, that he considers not more than two or three preach the truth in England. If a honest man of God dwells upon exhortations, and insists upon the effects that grace will produce, they call him an arminian; if he come with the rod and with rebuke, they call him a bitter spirited man but they will dwell upon the high decrees of heaven as the summum bonum of their profession. I doubt not but many of your readers may know many such cha racters; and many such I believe are laid like sheep in the grave, as real christians, but the last great day will unfold the awful secret. Men they may often deceive, but not so with God.

Concubines. These must be professors, who also profess somewhat of union to Christ, yet of course not in such an intimate way as queens. Such I believe to be our modern calvinists, who for the greater part of the sermon will often preach up free grace, union with Christ, &c., and then to wind up and make what they call a practical application of the

subject, wiil be like the cow after having given a good pail of milk, will kick it all down again. Concubines are in reality nothing but adultresses, for such a state is no where mentioned in the word of God. And sure I am that our moderate calvinists (as they call themselves) are nothing less than spiritual ones; for they profess allegiance and union to king Jesus, and are found in dalliance with the servant Moses, regarding with delight the law that came by him, but setting at nought the grace and truth that came by Jesus Christ.

Virgins. W. T. says they appear to him to be those who are seeking the Lord, but have not yet found him. But it says, " Virgins without number." Can W. T. suppose that it is impossible to number those who are seeking the Lord in sincerity and truth; or that they are so numerous, they may be said to be without number? I trow not. But if we take it as meaning arminians, I think we may say, without number. A virgin does not profess union to Christ; and go to their chapels, will you ever hear the doctrine insisted upon? No, but their good works, good prayers, pure intentions, holy resolutions, and such a string of pious deeds and unpolluted virgin-like works palmed on God for their acceptance with him. These are some of the foolish sort, wise in their own esteem, but not so with God. Tell them no devil in hell can be worse than themselves, and you will shock their pure virgin feelings; but this every child of God knows who is of any long standing in the truth. They are utter strangers to what God declares by Jeremiah, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." instead of being saved by sovereign grace, vast numbers consider that God is a debtor to them, for their not only repenting themselves, but for converting others. These are the daughters of the mother of harlots; and notwithstanding their professed

away.

Look at Mary Magdalen, the vilest prostitute of her day, and yet a trophy of redeeming grace. The people of God are brought to know, that if they are not saved as sovereignly, as freely, and as graciously as the thief upon the cross, they never can be saved at all. These virgins Agur has well described in Prov. xxx., "There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness."

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But now for the dove, the love, the undefiled one; undefiled with the tems of men. These are the regenerated people of God, of whatsoever denomination they may be, whether Episcopalians, Independents or Baptists. What says the apostle, Ye are all one in Christ Jesus." And Jesus says, My dove, my undefiled is one. They are one in heart, one in soul, one in truth, one in all the grand essential doctrines of the gospel; and that believer shows the noblest spirit of love, who can look over all the petty differences that now separate us for a time. I am a baptist, but do hail with delight such a blessed man of God as Joseph Irons, notwithstanding his antipathy to much water.'

You never hear from these queens, concubines and virgins, the language of the spouse, My Beloved is mine and I am his." I mean, in all the ardency of love, and assurance of precious faith; they may perhaps express it with their lips, but it is with such coldness as shews the heart goes not with it. Right sure I am, and God is my witness, that my very soul has gone out with these precious words. Such seasons I know are few and far between; but the love-tokens

I am surprised that my friend, W. T., with his insight into Scripture, did not look at the context, as no text ought to be explained without regarding it. At the latter part of the 9th verse, it says, the queens and concubines praised her. Now if the queens signify gospel churches and believers, then they must praise themselves, and we all know that self praise is no commendation. Methinks the child of God will be more like Job,

I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes;" than make any attempt at self adulation. It is remarkable, that is the only place where the word queens occurs in the Canticles, the beloved of Jesus being addressed as my love, my dove, my spouse, my sister, &c. I believe the word queens never occurs but once in the Bible, in a really good sense, and that is in the xlvth Psalm.

Perhaps W. T. would like to know how I can make it appear that these professors praise the people of God. I am well aware that bitter enmity is in their hearts against them, but just ask them in their most sober minded moments, what they really think of such and such a child of God, they will think that they are worthy characters. Let God lay his finger in affliction upon them, and they draw rear to the gates of death, who do they so much desire then as the people of God to visit them? This tells with more weight than volumes of fulsome flattery, and is, to say the least of it, a silent praise bestowed upon the children of God. It is also worthy of remark, that it say the virgins praised her. No, no, a true hearted Arminian can never speak well of God's people, he hates them with a perfect hatred, because he well knows if their creed be right, that he will go to hell, to all intents and purposes; besides which an implacable enmity to the truth is rooted and grounded in him. It says, "The

does not

daughters saw her and blessed her." Now these I take to be young converts, who are not yet brought into gospel liberty.

I will here leave it. May the Lord the Spirit bless what is written.

C. C.

PULPIT SAYINGS OF THE LATE REV. WILLIAM ROMAINE: TAKEN DOWN BY THE LATE REV. SAMUEL EYLES PIERCE.

To be Continued.

PERHAPS you are ready to say, I am afraid I am not a child of God, because I am so dull and lifeless, my prayers are so cold and dead, and I am so heavy and careless under ordinances. This is the method God takes to make you discontented with yourself, your duties and performances, and to make you look at Christ as your all.

When the children of Israel were bit by the fiery serpents, they did not look to the tabernacle and the holy things in it, nor even into the holy of bolies, where stood the cherubim, and where shone the glory of God, for if they had they would have died; but they looked simply at what God had commanded they should, the brazen serpent: just so must we, who are bit by the old serpent the devil, look simply at Christ.

You dishonour the obedience of Christ, the sufferings of Christ and bis glorious victory over sin and death in his resurrection, when you are in bondage to the fear of death. We should live on Christ as the lifegiving root of all sanctification.

Come to the blood of Jesus to have sin pardoned, and then come to the arm of Jesus to have it subdued.

When God sends an adverse dispensation to the believer, it is with this message, Go and draw that sinner from the love of the world; go and take away that comfort, he is going to make an idol of it.

When on a death-bed, we should not look at what we are, but what Christ is.

All the communion between God and us is in the humble heart. The whole love of the Deity cen ters in Jesus Christ.

Christ pronounces you saved when you believe.

Do not hearken to what your hearts say about Christ, much less to what unbelief and the deceiver of the brethren says, but look at what the Father says of him.

You cannot be in any circumstance of life but it is a trial for your faith.

Perhaps you have crosses at home, domestic jars; but the Lord Jesus Christ will make them all blessings: and those who live by faith on him, know most of the truth of what I am saying. Indeed, sirs, you do not know what Christ can do in a family, if you would live on him, and commit all your concerns to him.

When you do not consult Christ, you will blunder; when you do not lean on his arm, you will fall; when you do not drink of his comforts, you drink poison.

You are not saved by your acts of faith, but by Christ the object of your faith.

Look at what the Father says of Jesus, that is the best way to hush the conscience, and to keep and maintain peace within.

You may seek joy where you will, but if you seek it out of Christ, you seek life in death.

A man that is in Christ can stand and smile at all the world's evils.

When God affords his presence with the rod, the man cries, Strike

on.

If you are in Christ, you are living below your privileges, if you do not see the fulness of joy to be your's, and are living on it accordingly.

The more fellowship with Christ, the more dead to sin.

When a man comes to Christ, though he was the wisest man living

before, yet he is then thought the greatest fool though he was a man that bore a very good name and character among his neighbours, and was looked upon as blameless and harmless in his life and character; yet when he is given to see that all his works are nothing worth, and enabled to cast them behind him as dung and dross, and would not give a straw for the best of them, the worst word in their mouths is then too good for him.

You are sinners: where do you look for pardon? You are dying sinners where do you look for everlasting life, and for everlasting salvation? The answer should be, To Christ Jesus.

Believers have a life that death can never touch.

We have only one thing to do today, that is to take Christ and live upon him.

Do not depend on Christ merely for salvation, but for the most trivial things in life; for temporals as well as spirituals.

There is not a bosom sin you have, but Jesus can tear it from your breast. There is not a fetter the world, the flesh and the devil can bind your soul with, but he can break it as easily as Samson broke the ropes with which the Philistines bound him. Nay he can give you a degree of that hatred to sin that he hath himself.

The Spirit witnesses for Jesus, that a sinner flying to Christ may have strong consolation.

The

The Spirit of God is to the soul, what the breath is to the body. body without breath is dead; so the soul without the Spirit of God is dead to God.

In daily conversation with poor sinners, who are writing bitter things against themselves, I send them to the word of God and to the work of Christ.

Death will not break the bond that unites to Christ, it does all others.

The priesthood under the law very minutely pointed out Christ, and the service was made up of faith: there was more faith in that service than you are aware of.

You that are great believers, you have much to learn so long as you live, to get the benefit of his intercession, so as continually to leave all your temporal and spiritual concerns with him, and in his hands.

Christ Jesus is the object of your faith, our comfort in life, our happiness in death; our supplies must all be received from Christ Jesus day by day.

Wilful sinners, after they had received the knowledge of the truth: such were the emperor Julian, Judas, and that wicked wit Lucian; they lived and died adversaries to Christ Jesus.

God was pleased to reveal a knowledge of Christ in the Old Testament by types and figures. There was not any thing in nature to give us an idea of it, and therefore God was pleased to institute an office to exhibit it; in in this way it was he taught his church and people until Christ came.

The high priest went into the holy of holies alone. No man can do any thing to further his salvation. And therefore it was death for any but the high priest to enter into the holy of holies. He was clothed with royal robes, made for glory and beauty, never any to equal them. He was clothed with royal robes. All pointed out Christ Jesus. Our Priest went in with his own blood, and he will come out again and bless his people with an everlasting blessing. And this is the blessing: The Lord bless thee and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace,' Num. vi. 24, 25, 26. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the God of all consolation, will bless with an everlasting blessing all found in Christ.

WONDERFUL LOVE TO WONDERSTRUCK SINNERS.

"Thy love to me was wonderful."—2 Sam. i. 26.

"The people ran together, greatly wondering."-Acts iii. 11.

"Ye shall praise the Lord, that hath dealt wondrously with you.”—Joel ii. 26.

BLEST Saviour of thy chosen flock,
Thy people's everlasting Rock!
I give immortal praise to thee,
Thy love is wonderful to me.

Thy wondrous love to sinners here,
Doth oft their drooping spirits cheer;
It lifts them up, and makes them tell,
Thy love is free, is wonderful.

When sunk in sin, perplexed with care,
This stopped them in the mad career;
And how amazed, they weep and tell,
That love divine is wonderful.

When by the Holy Spirit's aid,
To thee they in their sorrow prayed,
Then thou didst hear, and make them prove
The wondrous power of sovereign love.

With love thou didst dispel their fear,
In love didst all their burdens bear;
Through love, thou didst on Calvary
Shew forth thy love, and set them free.

There, though in deepest woe and gloom,
Thy body, Joseph did entomb;
Thou didst arise, and live, and reign,
And thus thy wondrous love maintain.

Thy love is wonderful and strong,
By it thy saints are drawn along ;
Thy wondrous love hath plucked the brands
From brink of fire, and Satan's hands.

Lord, can I e'er sufficient tell

Of love like thine, to save from hell;
On this sweet theme I 'd ever dwell,
Thy love to me was wonderful.

Cast down, by friends forsaken too,
To thee alone my soul could go ;
I found thee then a friend indeed,
With wondrous love, in greatest need.

Blest be thy name, yet more and more
I long thy goodness to adore;

Each day I feel 't is joy to tell,
Thy love to me is wonderful.

O all ye chosen flock of God,
Who feel your sins a heavy load;
On Christ your mighty burdens roll,
His love remains yet wonderful.

Poor sinner, great may be thy sin,
Yet if repentance is within.
Jesus stands ready to forgive,
Look ye to him, he bids you live.

He'll cast out none that to him come;
For you he in his heart has room :
Trust thou in him, he 'll make you see
His love is wonderful to thee.

Though often wonder-struck below, Still as through this vain world you go, Each day your eyes may clearly see, His love is wonderful to thee.

"It is good for me that I have been afflicted." Psalm cxix. 71.

AWAKE, my soul, rejoice aloud and sing,
All carnal, earthly care I pray take wing,
Fly from my mind, let Christ my object be,
Through whom my soul hath life and liberty.

What shall I sing? Let Jesus be my theme,
A Prince and Saviour mighty to redeem;
He lived a life of suffering here below,
That he might sympathize in all our woe.

He trod the winepress of the wrath of God,
Paid my enormous debt with his own blood;
Bore all my sins on Calvary's 'cursed tree,
And vanquished death and hell to set me
free.

Then since our Lord a man of grief became,
Oh may I ever glory in the same;
That I, a sinner, saved by his free grace,
May the pure footsteps of my Saviour trace.